Piccadilly Circus

Central, London – A world famous traffic circle built in 1819 to connect Regent Street to Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus is a commercial thoroughfare that was once home to some of London’s most fashionable stores.

Although its namesake street has become quieter in the years since, the area remains an international draw, attracting wide-eyed tourists by the thousands thanks to its many shopping, entertainment, dining, and nightlife venues.

While partying locals use the square as a meeting place before heading out to nearby Chinatown, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, or Soho, global travelers arrive by the busload to gawk at oversized billboards reminiscent of New York’s Times Square and pose for pictures in front of the iconic statue of Anteros, god of requited love.

Fashion mavens, art lovers, and jewelry aficionados hunt for keepsakes at the regal Burlington Arcade – but if they’re not on their best behavior, they may be shown the door since singing, unfurling umbrellas, and whistling are all prohibited in the posh shopping center.

The Circus has plenty to offer entertainment enthusiasts as well, with swarms of cinema buffs and musical theater lovers descending on the Apollo Cinema and mammoth Criterion Theatre to take in a play and on the half-price ticket booth hoping to score some cheap seats for a West End show.

Perpetually crammed with tourists, shoppers, and souvenir peddlers selling the “finest” British kitsch, Piccadilly Circus is such a whirlwind of activity that the Brits use the expression “It’s like Piccadilly Circus” to describe any place with a crowded, zoo-like atmosphere.    ← read less